LFW Diary AW12: Reclaim To Wear

A new collaboration was born this season for Estethica: Orsola de Castro, creative director of eco-pioneer label From Somewhere and Reclaim To Wear, an organisation that labels upcycled capsule collections, showcased the sustainable collections of Central Saint Martins students.

Ten teams of eight students from Central Saint Martins’ fashion courses were challenged to make an upcycled capsule collection by adopting Reclaim To Wear’s method of producing clothes using the fashion industry's surplus including stock, remnants and off-cuts. Each team was briefed to create a catwalk piece and two ‘commercial’ pieces, in addition to a look-book and a short film for their autumn project.

 

Flik Hall goes Under The Sea (written for SIX Magazine)

Flik Hall’s SS12 collection film is created in collaboration with Ashley Joiner

A designer who has been impressing fashion editors with her striking prints since the conception of her eponymous brand in 2009 is Flik Hall. A Central Saint Martins graduate who worked for House of Holland before setting out on her own, Hall’s forthcoming offering for SS12, takes her trademark aesthetic for movement and print and juxtaposes it with luxury of the highest order.

Inspired by the eroticism relating to the form and ethereal symbolism of the octopus and cecaelia; prints feature extreme close-ups of octopi skin and twisting tentacles, utilising a variety of textures to take on a life of their own. Using British-sourced fabrics, the effects are spellbinding: leather is emblazoned with eyelets to take on the guise of octopi suckers, while printed leather deftly appears transformed into lace, featuring punched out holes seductively exposing the wearer’s skin. Silhouettes are narrow and fluid, structured and free.

To read the article in full visit SIX Magazine.

SIX minutes WITH Kirsty Ward (written for SIX Magazine)

Image courtesy of Kirsty Ward

First entering the consciousness of fashion editors throughout London with her beautiful monochromatic Saint Martins MA collection back in 2008, Kirsty Ward has gone from strength to strength, honing her signature aesthetic for combining oversized jewellery with bold structure. Working with a plethora of contrasting fabrics from waxed cotton to streams of silk, complimented by hinge and rivet detailing, Ward is certainly not your average designer, earning her place as one of the most exciting young designers working in London today. SIX Magazine caught up with the busy designer to get a glimpse into her world.
Congratulations on the successful launch of your eponymous brand. Founded just last year, you’ve already been lauded as ‘one to watch’ and ‘a rising star’ by fashion heavyweights such as Elle, Vogue.com and Selfridges. Has this incredible response to your work taken you by surprise?
The support I have received so far has been great, there’s still so much more to achieve though. In terms of compromise, there’s always a balance you need to get right so your label can still be directional, yet sellable. This is something I’m trying to fine tune each season!
Read the rest of the interview here.

A Point Of Design: Vogue Light Up Bond Street

To much excitement and anticipation, today sees the launch of Vogue magazine’s Street Lights initiative: a new artistic endeavour taking over London’s second most-iconic shopping street, Bond Street. The brainchild of Vogue’s Jewellery Editor, Carol Woolton - in collaboration with Bond Street Association - Street Lights is an artistic collaboration between the street’s renowned fine jewellers, The Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins.

Collaborating with 50 2nd and 3rd year students from The Royal College of Art  and Central Saint Martins(studying a mixture of Goldsmith, Silversmith, Metalwork and jewellery courses), the brief was to create conceptual and innovative approaches for the display of jewellery within the windows of the fine jewellers of Bond Street. Iconic brands such as: Asprey, Cartier, Chanel, Mappin + Webb, Van Cleef + Arpels and Tiffany +Co are all taking part, in addition to many more.

From simply removing the usual constraints of traditional jewellery displays such as boring busts and generally black Perspex plinths, the results are both intriguing and unexpected, showing exquisite luxury items in a whole new light.

“It’s a fantastic artistic collaboration of some of the world’s most beautiful jewels being showcased in extraordinary, fresh and innovative ways, provoking us to think about the role of jewellery in our cultural life. The students are bringing wit, originality and imagination to the street in a way that London does better than anywhere else in the world. The idea was born out of my time as a judge at the Royal College of Art each year, by the displays the students created for their work and the manner in which they dealt with scale and environment.” comments Carol Woolton.

Street Lights runs from 10-15 May inclusive and is a celebration of the excellence of the capitals jewellery courses, drawing attention to the fact that more creative jewellery design comes out of London than anywhere else.

LFW Diary AW11: Jazzkatze

A designer whom I didn't know too much about beforehand, I was delighted to be back at the resplendent Freemasons' Hall last Sunday afternoon, taking a front row seat at Jazzkatze's AW11 catwalk show. With a collection called The Name of the Rose and an invitation depicting what looked to be a red rose covered in snow, I wasn't too sure what to expect from the collection, but am pleased to say I absolutely loved it! Founded in Japan, the intriguingly named Jazzkatze is the label of Central Saint Martin’s graduate Ayumi Sufu, who takes inspiration from her personal experiences of Japan’s economic growth and fall, paying particular attention to the cultural mix of traditional and western values, somehow unified as one identity.

Inspired by The Name of the Rose novel written by Italian medievalist Umberto Eco in the early 80's, the story is an intellectual mystery, reflecting the paradoxical relationship of existence that is made by individuals and their memories. As the title of Eco's novel suggests Jazzkatze playfully experiments with images of a rose, subtly exploring the beauty and femininity of the petals, in stark contrast to the masculinity of the thorny stalk. As the lights dimmed and the show began, models strode out confidently to less well-known songs from The Smiths/ Morrisey back catalogue. Displaying a rich colour palette from the offset, royal navy, dark grey, nude beige and wine burgundy featured heavily throughout, however it was the variety of textures on display that were the real feat of ingenuity; melton wool, mohair, silk, embellishment and embroidery galore.

Stand out garments included silk pussy-bow shirts in blood red, cute wool floral hot-pants and the quirky medieval inspired hooded coat. Simple yet chic dresses dominated, with the majority featuring Jazzkatze’s signature AW11 print – a snow covered ground with blood slash roses, artfully symbolising birth. I particularly loved the pearl encrusted tights - which bore clusters around the knees and ankles – adding an unusual level of glamour and sophistication to the collection. Hair was beautifully stacked in buns and layered like wedding cake, decorated with an assortment of blue extensions and ribbons, which for me typified the collection as being good enough to eat!

SS11 Press Days: Best of Blow

Many, many weeks ago I attended the Blow PR press day and true to form it was one of the highlights of my season. Its quite hard to put my finger on why exactly I love their client list so much, but I'm pretty sure its because they generally support the newest and most progressive fashion talent around, and I love that they promote designers who don't even retail, which as a member of press and an eager potential consumer is both very exciting and intriguing.

With a really subtle nod to S&M I genuinely love these playful latex rubber costume outfits designed by William Wilde. I love the little details such as PVC bows and frills, which I'm certain are no walk in the park to perfect. Entitled Madame Boucherie, SS11 sees Wilde's inaugural collection - which is all hand-glued - transcend the realms of burlesque to create sexy outfits and lingerie, which is worlds apart from the made-to-measure bridal wear he previously turned his hand to.

Another new designer I spied is Flik Hall, whose third collection, Mannequin Parade showcases her aesthetic for bold silhouettes, captivating prints and penchant for toy limbs (as depicted below)!

A firm favourite whom I've now written about on two previous occasions is Fam Irvoll who has gone to town with oversized florals this season. I especially love the yellow high-waisted skirt (pictured below).

I absolutely love the elegance, timelessness and shift dress simplicity of David Longshaw. With kooky necklaces, embellishments and feathers galore, Longshaw is proof that the devil is in the detail.

Another designer showcasing for the third time is Welsh-born Jayne Pierson with her SS11 collection entitled, Twin Parrallel. Vaguely reminiscent of Vivienne Westwood (I suppose the imitable designer's signature style was bound to influence Pierson during her time working for the Dame), I love the different textures and superhero type colourways, which include lots of gold.

At first I was slightly freaked out, as I'm well known for not being taxidermy's biggest fan, but once I got over my preconceived notions about foxes in particular, I really responded to RP Encore's concept. Using skills I didn't even know were possible RP Encore has deftly turned corpses (among foxes and ravens) into beautiful accessories, taking casts of their claws and teeth, typifying her aesthetic with the fox clutch bag which is surprisingly roomy!

Created by mechanical engineer and metal worker Clare Whit, I absolutely love the costume pieces below, especially the rather heavy soldered platform shoes.

Another designer I love, whom I had in mind when talking about designers who don't actually sell their work is Dean Sidaway, who works as a stylist, design consultant and lecturer at Central Saint Martins. Fingers crossed one day I'll be able to afford to privately commission one of his pieces.